Deep thoughts: Milisitz nears state homer mark Local Sports

SIDELINES

May 12, 1993|By PAT O'MALLEY

By hitting his fourth and fifth home runs of the season Monday in an 8-6 loss to Glen Burnie, Severna Park catcher John Milisitz set a state record for career homers in the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association.

Milisitz has 14 career homers, one more than Kevin Schiavone of Severna Park and Brian Antal of Old Mill had in their three-year careers from 1988 to 1990. Milisitz hit five as a sophomore, four last year and five this spring.

Loyola High's Mark Poehlman set the overall state record of 16 career home runs from 1974 to 1976, and Milisitz has three more games to tie or break that record.

Milisitz has a realistic shot at tying the record or breaking it with two of his final three games at the Pitt. The Falcons' home field is known as a launching pad -- seven homers were hit Monday in the Glen Burnie contest.

* Isn't it amazing that Chesapeake junior left-hander Jason White is 5-2, considering that the Cougars have scored just 18 runs in games he has pitched? White has won two 1-0 games.

* Wasn't it a nice try by Glen Burnie catcher Matt Griffith Monday at Severna Park to try to talk plate umpire Steve Rozanski into an 0-1 count on Byron Druzgal after a delay of game? A pitch had not been thrown.

Did you know that Griffith, who produced a mischievous grin after his attempt, umpires with his father, Dave Griffith, and the two of them are a pretty good duo?

* Not only has he set a school record for saves at Division II University of Missouri at St. Louis, but Glen Burnie resident Greg Shepherd also set a conference record over the weekend? Shepherd, who attended Mount St. Joseph in Baltimore and Anne Arundel Community College, posted two more saves over the weekend to give him a conference record 11, which is the top total in the nation for NCAA Division II.

* Did you local high school baseball fans know that a Patterson win yesterday and today over Edmondson would put the Baltimore team into the Class 4A Region IV playoffs for the first time (as either third or fourth seed) and knock out one of the Anne Arundel teams?

Arundel (13-1) has clinched a berth and unless Chesapeake (13-3) suffers a total collapse in its final three games (at Severna Park today, at Glen Burnie on Friday and home against Old Mill on Monday), the Cougars will be one of the four region playoff teams.

Starting today, Old Mill (10-5) is third in the region and fifth-place North County has to win its final two games (Southern home today and at Queen Anne's on Friday) and hope for an Old Mill loss. Old Mill plays host to Meade today, plays Severna Park at Joe Cannon on Friday and travels to Chesapeake on Monday.

* Doesn't Annapolis boys lacrosse coach Dan Hart have a right to boast about five seniors who have signed letters of intent in attackman Clancy Cornwall (Merchant Marine Academy), midfielders Mike Fraioli (Mount St. Mary's) and Brendan Bellotte (Salisbury State), and defensemen Timmy Cook (Kenyon College) and Craig Harrison (Anne Arundel Community College)?

* Can you believe that the Severna Park boys lacrosse team celebrated the victory that put the Falcons in the state playoffs by playing softball after school Tuesday? Coach Ed Ulrich promised the guys a game of softball if they beat the Panthers.

Can't you imagine Severna Park baseball coach Jim Pitt breaking out the sticks after a big win and telling the guys to play lacrosse?

* Isn't Glen Burnie's Buck Jones, ex-heavyweight boxer and Maryland Hall of Fame inductee in 1986, an example of the dedication that gives the sport a heart and soul?

"I have a ship's bell out on my patio and whenever I hear of a fighter dying, I count him out with a 10 count out of respect for him," said Jones on the 24-hour Sportsline, (410) 647-2499.

Jones was thrilled about receiving a taped interview (from a friend) of the great German heavyweight Max Schmeling.

"Max was 87 in April and is still going strong," Jones said.

"The tape was in German and you should have heard what he said about today's heavyweight boxers. He said they couldn't beat his granddaughter. It's a pitiful mess right now."